


Atlas

by fratboyshiro (minsazucar)



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: (all the alteans are dead so yes....death mentions), Canon Compliant, Character Study, Fluff and Humor, Gardening, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Multi, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, again i'll tag as i go since this is an ongoing prompt collection thanks!, spa dates
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-08
Updated: 2017-05-10
Packaged: 2018-10-28 21:54:11
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,211
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10840203
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/minsazucar/pseuds/fratboyshiro
Summary: an Allura-centric drabble & one-shot collectionAtlas,noun;1. a bound volume of charts, plates, or tables illustrating any subject.2. a person who supports a heavy burden; a mainstay.





	1. your darkness will be rewritten

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> prompt: _Maybe have a very angst drabble of Allura having anxiety about her whole whole race being dead and angered that Keith is part of the race of the ones who killed her race?_
> 
> this turned into more like...a season 2 fix-it fic of how Allura handled Keith's Galra reveal...i have Feelings ok

Allura strode down the castle halls, shoulders squared and head held high, refusing to let others see how she was shaking apart at the seams. With every twist and turn through the empty corridors, her facade slowly chipped away until finally, _finally_ she was alone, deep in the belly of the castle ship. Only then did she let herself crumble, let herself get washed in the emotions she struggled so hard to keep reigned in. 

This wasn’t fair.

The Galra had taken so much from her, too much to even conceive of at times. They’d taken her family, her home, taken away any semblance of peace she could imagine; and they just kept on taking. With every decimated planet they visited, every distress beacon answered too late, the Galra slowly chipped away at her steadfast hope. And now the Galra were taking her team, her new paladins that she dared to consider a makeshift family.

They’d taken Shiro’s arm, but more than that, they’d taken something deep within him that she could almost begin to comprehend. Allura saw it in his eyes sometimes, when they ran into each other late at night, both wandering the castle as if they could physically outrun their demons. That look in his eyes, she’s seen it in her own eyes, when she catches her reflection on the wide windows. Just like now, her eyes have gained that sharp edge once again, something that screamed of _loss_.

The Galra had caused that loss, had taken too much from her. Had taken things from Shiro. Had literally taken Pidge’s family. Had forced them all to enter a war they never knew existed. It had taken Lance away from his family, had taken Hunk’s softness as the weeks turned into months. The Galra just kept taking and taking, like a black hole at the center of the universe, hungry to swallow all light until only darkness remained.

And now the Galra were taking Keith. Or maybe he’d been theirs all along. How was she to know if he could be trusted? How could she believe in anything anymore? The Blade of Marmora said they opposed Zarkon, but how could they be certain? Because one had _apparently_ sacrificed himself for them? Allura knew how she must appear to the other paladins; they must see her as paranoid, as needlessly resentful to continuously claim everything to be a ruse, to be a trap set by the Galra yet again.

But it was deeper than that, so much deeper. Beneath the anger, the resentment, the bitterness, Allura was scared. Terribly, horribly frightened that none of this was real, that the Galra were posed to rob her of her heart yet again. It was all too convenient, wasn’t it? That all of a sudden, these five claimed earthlings would just appear in her castle, all with the right shades of quintessence to control each of the lions. Too convenient that Shiro would be captured by the Galra, then “saved” by the Galra. All too fortuitous that suddenly, months into their fight, one of them would be revealed to be part Galra themselves. 

That they could form Voltron, that their lions trusted them...that meant very little in the end. Because in the end, Zarkon had formed Voltron as well, had led his paladins and lions, and none of them suspected a thing until it was too late. And it terrified Allura to no end that such a thing could happen again. That she could gain a family once more only to have it taken away. She felt physically ill at the thought.

She wasn’t sure how long she’d been down in the bowels of the ship, but eventually someone came to find her. Well, make that several someones. Her mice had finally found their way through the vent systems and crowded around her crumpled form. Huh, when had she sat down? She couldn’t recall. She rubbed her face at their worried squeaking, tear tracks long since dried leaving salty residue on her skin. The mice kept on squabbling and their mental prodding forced a giggle from her clenched throat.

“Yes my friends, I’ll be alright. Hm, yes, sleep does sound wonderful. Escort me back to my room?”

Allura stood with a strained smile and began the long trek back to her room. But at least she wasn’t alone anymore, her mice chattering the entire way there. It was enough to distract her for now; enough to distract her just for tonight, just until she fell asleep and prayed her mind would keep the nightmares at bay.

⥎⥎⥎

She was being cold. Allura was very aware of that fact, but she couldn’t seem to help herself. After sleeping off the initial shock and subsequent mini-meltdown, Allura hadn’t been sure how she’d carry herself around Keith. It seemed her instinct was to treat him the same as the other Blade members; a tentative ally, but not someone she’d trust with even a strand of her hair. 

She acknowledged on some level that her attitude wasn’t the most productive. The air was too tense, the silences between remarks awkward as she ignored Keith. Perhaps it was best that they were all splitting off on different missions. She needed time and space to sort through her emotions, to maybe see _past_ her emotions and consider the situation more… objectively. But right now, she couldn’t do that. Right now, every fiber of her being was screaming at having to work with the Galra, and she could only do so much to keep it all together.

The days spent apart did allow her some time, but she just kept thinking herself in circles. To her growing exasperation, by the time the paladins were back, her emotions were even more in shambles than before. And once again, her confused and wounded state of mind manifested itself in downright hostility towards Keith; it was the only way she knew how to protect herself it seemed. She didn’t miss the remorseful look in Keith’s eyes; she tried to miss the concerned look in Shiro’s eyes, but that man was a force to be reckoned with at times. 

Three days into their stay on Olkari, Shiro finally managed to corner her at some forsaken hour of the night. She had been wandering through the halls as she was wont to do, doing her best to avoid the paladins while she stewed in her own tumult. Shiro approached her slowly, as if she was a skittish animal, and she loathed the thought. In response, she straightened her spine, staring him down defiantly, and he stopped almost instantly.

“Princess.” He sighed and sagged against a pillar tiredly. “Allura, don’t be like that please.”

“I don’t know what you mean.” She huffed, crossing her arms. 

His eyes softened and he took a few more steps towards her. “Allura, won’t you just talk to me? Please?”

He extended out his hand, his human hand. He’d always done that, hadn’t he? He was so conscious around her, not like he was with the others. She’d seen him reach out, touch, hold the other paladins with his Galra arm. But he’d never once imposed the cold metal on her. The thought melted some of her stubbornness away and the patient look in his eyes did the rest. She stepped forward the rest of the way and placed her hand in his. 

He smiled and gave it a soft squeeze before gently tugging her forward to sit on some stairs leading to the courtyard. Allura sat down heavily, eyes trained on the moon bathed scenery of the courtyard; she couldn’t stand to look at Shiro right now, she didn’t know if she could keep her composure if she did. He was patient with her, sitting away far enough to give her space, but close enough that she could reach out at any moment. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, trying to calm her stuttering heart.

“I know you expect me to talk about my feelings and whatnot, but honestly Shiro, I don’t know what I’m feeling per se.” 

Allura glanced quickly at Shiro, watching him nod slowly, weighing his words carefully.

“That’s understandable. I can’t begin to imagine how hard this has been for you.” 

“No, you can’t.”

Her tone was sharp, punctuating the silence that stretched between them. Allura held her breath for a bit, as if by doing so she could also hold in her volatile emotions. She let an exhale out in a deep sigh, finally turning to face Shiro directly. He was already looking her way, expression soft, not a hint of judgement in the elegant slant of his eyes. That open look gave her courage to continue, not breaking eye contact this time as she allowed herself to be vulnerable.

“I know I am not being fair. Logically, it makes sense to ally ourselves with the Blade of Marmora. Logically, I know it’s not Keith’s fault that his lineage is… what it is…” She trailed off, eyes darting away at the last moment.

“But?” He prodded gently, letting the silence settle comfortably between them. 

It took a few deep breaths, but eventually Allura found it in herself to look at him again. Not just look at him, but to admit the root of her distress, to express her deep weakness.

“I’m scared, Takashi.” 

Her voice came out a cracked whisper, her confession rippling through her as she stared into his eyes. And just like that, it was as if a floodgate had opened, her other thoughts soon following.

“My mind is swimming with all these possibilities, all these ‘what if’s, it’s going to drive me crazy. In the end, I don’t know if I could stand losing everything again. I do not know if I can believe in these Galra to not betray me again.”

A short breath of silence settled between them before Shiro spoke up.

“You’re scared of being hurt again.”

Allura gazed up at him, eyes narrowing, and he cleared his throat before continuing in a measured tone.

“Hurt is a mild way to put it. The trauma you’ve suffered, I don’t know if there’s a word that can really describe it. It only makes sense that you would want to avoid it again.”

She averted her eyes, gaze focusing on her fists instead as they clenched in her lap.

“I cannot continue like this. For the sake of the team, for the sake of the _universe_ , I cannot let my fear and resentment overcome me.” She hissed, frustration bubbling up.

Shiro seemed to stare at her for a long while before a slow, sardonic grin spread across his face.

“You know, you and Keith are so similar sometimes. It never fails to surprise me.”

“Is that supposed to be a compliment or insult?” She huffed, perhaps a tad too defensively.

Shiro chuckled and shifted where he sat, turning just the slightest bit to face her more openly.

“Neither, just an observation.” 

He cleared his throat and his expression spoke of a seriousness that had Allura leaning in closer to hear his next words. 

“Listen, I’ve known Keith for a very long time. I’ve watched him grow and change and become the person he is today. When we were at the Blade’s headquarters, when Keith found out once and for all that he was part Galra… I won’t lie, I was shocked. Felt a bit betrayed too.

“I thought, why didn’t Keith come to me sooner? Why was he hiding it? I knew he’d been acting weird, he had started carrying himself around me differently, spent a lot more time brooding than usual. For a moment, I felt like I couldn’t trust him.”

“And? What about now?” Allura prodded softly, but curiously.

“Allura, do you trust _me_?” He asked softly.

A few beats of silence passed between them as Allura contemplated her feelings, settling on the truest answer. 

“I don’t know.” She answered in a strained whisper and he smiled in understanding.

“That’s fair.” 

His smile faded as he continued, never once letting his eyes stray from hers. 

“This whole war, the Galra, Voltron… it’s changed everything for us. I sometimes can’t even remember who I was before the Galra had taken me. And so, when I looked at Keith, and I asked myself if I could still trust him…”

Shiro paused to collect his thoughts and… Oh, there it was, that _look_ in his eyes, the one that reflected loss and pain. She fought not to flinch back, but just as soon as that look appeared, it was replaced by something else, something that sent a current of warmth through her system. Shiro continued speaking with a slight curl to his lips, a smile almost bordering on defiance.

“I decided, then and there, if I couldn’t trust in the people I love, then what should I even trust in? What would even be worth it? For us who have been hurt, Princess, for us who’ve felt loss this deep… trust can’t be logical. It’ll always be a risk. And it requires courage, not fearlessness. That means staring your fears straight in the face, and moving forward in spite of them.”

Until now, Allura had been doing a fair job of keeping her composure. But Shiro’s words brought up an old memory, the voice of her father whispering in her ear _‘be brave my daughter, not fearless. Have the strength to keep moving no matter how frightening it may be.’_ Allura blinked rapidly as the memory washed over her, waves of warmth followed by grief, and she couldn’t help it when tears began to well in her eyes.

Shiro slowly shifted a bit closer and lifted a hand, his human hand, towards her, letting it hover near her shoulder. He ducked down to catch her eye as she fought back another wave of tears and he smiled, full of sympathy.

“Is it okay if I touch you?”

His question somehow brought fresh tears to her eyes, but Allura bit her lip to stop the trembling and nodded slowly. Shiro placed a hand gently on her back, letting it rest there a bit before moving in soothing circles. It was not often Allura felt safe anymore, but she finally started to consider that maybe Shiro’s offer of a safe space was something she could believe in. She took a deep breath and scoot over the rest of the way, closing the distance between them. Her breath left in a shuttered exhale as his arm moved from her back to wrap around her shoulders instead.

They sat like that for a long while, for a moment that felt frozen in time, both pretending that Allura wasn’t fighting back sobs the entire night.

⥎⥎⥎

Allura had really meant to talk to Keith sooner than this. But then the Olkari had taken her aside for treaty talks, and then the teladuv had been completed, and then the Blade of Marmora came on board her ship. Not just one, but _two_ Galra were to occupy the bridge room with her; it was a bit easier working with them now, but the underlying tension had yet to dissipate. She had even thought to herself that perhaps she could talk to Keith once this was all over and everything had calmed once more.

But then Keith had to go and volunteer to invade Zarkon’s ship. They would be separated sooner than expected, in a mission more dangerous than expected, all because the Blade’s spy had gone MIA. As she watched the red paladin leave the bridge, avoiding her sharp gaze, a pang of anxiety shot through her, settling like a cold weight in her gut.

Right now, they were all risking their lives. Even should they win today, it was not guaranteed that they’d all survive. It struck her that watching Keith leave the bridge may be the last time she saw the boy. She couldn’t wait, she couldn’t put this off anymore, for both their sakes. Keith didn’t deserve that. She didn’t deserve that.

Allura gave Coran control of the bridge and hurried down to the hangar with all the pods. She paused just outside the hangar doors to catch her breath, peering in to make sure Keith and Pidge were still talking by the pods. She took a steadying breath, squared her shoulders, and walked in with her trademark cool confidence.

“Pidge… May I have a moment with Keith, please?” She called out to the two as she got closer.

The green paladin hesitated and glanced between them suspiciously, but thankfully didn’t put up a fight.

“Sure thing. Have all the moments you like.” The small girl muttered before strolling away, giving them some privacy.

The two stood in a tense silence, Keith meeting her gaze warily. 

“Is there something I can help you with?” He eventually broke the stillness, tone defensive.

This time it was Allura that averted her eyes, trying hard to find the words she’d spent so many sleepless nights rehearsing. She clenched her fists at her sides and opened her mouth to speak.

“I… I just wanted to say… the Galra, they’ve done terrible things. Destroyed entire civilizations. They took my family.” Allura watched as Keith looked away at that, mouth twisting into a frown. She continued a bit softer, “But, in time, I’ve grown to consider you and the paladins my family. So when I learned you were Galra, I… I didn’t know what to think. I wanted to hate you.” 

Allura paused to try and collect herself; more than anything she wanted to remain as calm as possible right now. Keith shifted a bit, eyes downcast.

“Allura…It’s--”

“But Keith, I--”

The both spoke at the same time, cutting each other off accidentally. They stared at each other cautiously for a couple beats before Keith huffed a breath and dropped his defensive posture.

“Allura, it’s okay.” He continued softly, shrugging a bit as his eyes gentled. “I know where you’re coming from, I don’t blame you for acting that way with me.”

“But it wasn’t right. It wasn’t right of me to treat you that way.” She responded almost desperately, frustrated with herself more than anything.

Keith offered her a small smile, but it was the most sincere smile she’d seen him wear in a long while. He took another measured breath before stepping a little closer, eyes trained on the ground as he continued speaking.

“I learned something while with the Blade of Marmora. Something even more important than me being part Galra. I learned that it didn’t matter where I came from, it’s who I am _now_ that matters. And right now? I’m a paladin of Voltron, pilot of the Red Lion, defender of the universe. And I wouldn’t trade that for anything.”

Keith looked up at the end of his little speech and Allura noticed his eyes widen as she strode forward to embrace him. He froze up under her touch but Allura just grasped his shoulders lightly, tilting her head towards him as she spoke again.

“I’m so sorry I misjudged you. You’ve proven it’s not what’s in your blood, it’s who you are that counts. Please come back to us.”

She squeezed his shoulders a bit tighter as she felt the tension leave his body, Keith’s hands moving up to rest gently on her back as well. 

“I will.”

That was a promise she intended to hold him to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i very much.....wish that in the show allura, as a character, was shown more compassion in her struggles (basically i didnt like how the show kinda painted allura as the "bad guy" for losing trust in keith after finding out he was galra....this poor girl has lost everything, she is Traumatized....pls....)


	2. your light is a seed (and the darkness the dirt)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> prompt: _Ok what about Allura having a green thumb, being really good with plants!_
> 
> yknow... if that prompt doesn't scream Pidge/Allura, then idk what does

When the paladins returned from their mission on Olkarion, the enemy defeated, a planet freed and a new alliance forged, Allura couldn’t have been more delighted. She was in such a jovial mood that even the five floating cubes chanting Coran’s silly phrases didn’t annoy her. The mission on Olkarion proved to her that the paladins really were growing stronger, that they were capable of handling things on their own sometimes. It felt good to see their progress.

After the paladins dispersed to spend the rest of their day at their leisure, Allura was a bit surprised to see Pidge linger in the bridge room. Usually the green paladin was the first to leave after being excused, rushing to work on whatever gadgets and gizmos she had in the workshop. But today the girl hesitated by the doorway, lost in contemplation. Allura waited to see if Pidge would say anything, and only after it became clear that she was stalling did Allura speak up.

“Is there something I can help you with, Pidge?”

“Um, actually yeah. I uh… kinda need help with something?”

“Alright…” Allura prompted, curious now to see the green paladin so bashful.

“Yeah so, you know, the Green Lion is like connected to nature or whatever, and I’ve never been much of a nature person. But the Olkari kinda helped me understand nature or whatever and they… gave me some stuff but I don’t know how to garden, plus these are like _alien_ plants, which is super cool but I’m afraid I’ll kill the plants and that would just really suck so like… do you know anything about gardening?”

Allura took a few seconds to process the girl’s nervous ramblings and once she did, she broke out into a wide grin.

“I actually really love gardening. Why don’t you go grab what the Olkari have given you and then meet me in the main rec room, I have something to show you.”

Pidge scampered off with a quick nod and Allura stood there for a few more moments, simply soaking in the residual excitement left in the green paladin’s wake. She eventually made her way back to her own room, changing out of her battle suit and into one of her casual dresses. It had been a long time since Allura had worn her gardening frock, the soft fabric thinner than her other gowns, the tapered sleeves cropped at the elbows. She kept her hair tied up however, not wanting to get dirt in it while they worked. 

Allura didn’t have to wait in the rec room long before Pidge came scurrying in, arms straining to carry a bulging bag the Olkari had gifted her. Allura giggled before extending a hand, lifting the bag effortlessly. The girl smiled in gratitude.

“Thanks. So, where’re we going?” Pidge asked as Allura started leading them through the castle halls.

“This castle ship is equipped with a rather large indoor conservatory and botanical garden. It is located in a wing you paladins haven’t had a chance to explore just yet.”

Allura slowed her footsteps as a thought occurred to her suddenly. Oh, how could she have forgotten?

“Come to think of it, I have not been there since waking up as well.” She added, a bit more solemnly.

“Princess?” Pidge asked softly and Allura realized she’d stopped walking. She flashed an apologetic smile and continued her explanation.

“The gardens were housed in a large biodome, an intricate multi-level system designed to keep a variety of plants alive and well. However…” Allura cleared her throat and started walking again, “However, it _has_ been 10,000 years since anyone has checked on the system, so it is safe to say there probably won’t be much left now.”

This time it was Pidge that stopped in her tracks, reaching out to tug Allura’s dress.

“Allura, we don’t have to go there if you don’t want. Or maybe we can come back with Coran? And even Hunk. Or… not come back at all--”

“Pidge, it’s alright. Thank you for your concern. It’s true, I will most likely feel sadness on first sight, but I assure you it’s nothing I can’t handle.” She explained with a sad smile, reaching out to loop her fingers around the girl’s small wrist. “Also, I’ve rather missed gardening. It was quite a hobby of mine, before the war began.”

“Maybe you can teach me how to garden. Then it can be our hobby.” 

Pidge offered with a shy smile, scurrying to keep up, lest she be dragged behind. Allura gave the paladin a bright smile in return.

“I think I’d like that very much, Pidge.”

 

 

As expected, the gardens were in complete disarray when they arrived. The systems had to be rebooted manually, one by one, and all the former plant stuff disposed of. Understanding the biodome system proved to be a unique challenge for Pidge, but with some occasional guidance from Allura, the young paladin was an expert in no time. Somehow the two came to a silent agreement that they would keep the gardens a secret from the others, until the time was right at least.

Between the sneaking around, technical issues, and frequent battles, it took a couple of weeks before the biodome was stable enough to begin sustaining life again. They started first with what the Olkari had provided them. When they first inspected the rumpsack several weeks back, they’d found it to be filled with a variety of seeds, complete with simple explanations on how to care for the plants. Some seeds were no larger than grains of sand, others the size of stones and dense as steel. The girls were absolutely fascinated.

Allura thought it best to start simple, choosing the seeds requiring little maintenance and a rather basic climate. Pidge readily agreed and paid close attention as Allura went about selecting a section of the biodome to modify. She inputted new settings for a small room on the first level, having Pidge double check her calculations before proceeding. When they stepped inside the modified room, Pidge paused and took in a deep breath.

“This is amazing. It feels just like spring in San Francisco.” She commented breathily, eyes wide in wonder.

“San Francisco?” Allura asked, testing the foreign words on her tongue. 

Pidge chuckled and strolled around the room, inspecting the synthesized soils with wonder.

“Yeah, it’s where I lived back on Earth. It’s a big city right by the ocean. But there’s a really big forest preservation area and gardens and stuff. I had bad allergies as a kid so I didn’t spend a lot of time there. But this is what the air felt like. It’s...really nice. To think of home.”

Pidge crouched down and picked up a handful of soil. It was a rich, deep brown, guaranteed to leave stains on their hands as they worked. Allura hummed a bit in the peaceful silence, knowing exactly what Pidge meant about that nostalgia for _home_. The paladin looked back up at her and smiled softly; Allura reached out a hand to help her up and Pidge took it after a moment of consideration. If their hands stayed clasped a little longer than necessary, neither of them commented on it. 

Allura cleared her throat and dug out the bags of seeds from her pocket, handing one to Pidge, who looked at it nervously.

“So these seeds need to be planted shallowly in damp soil, then maintained in moderate humidity until their roots are fully formed. If we do this right, this room will be filled with Olkari wildflowers in only a matter of days.”

Pidge looked back up at her, eyes full of determination and smiled.

“Let’s do this.”

 

 

The biodome was thriving again in no time. After the initial success with the wildflowers, Pidge gained a new enthusiasm for gardening that began to rival even Allura’s. Slowly but surely they filled more and more sections with the rest of the Olkari seeds and watched as they bloomed over the weeks. Pidge spent more and more time in the conservatory, either tuning the biodome systems or just walking through the new gardens with Allura. It was peaceful, almost like their own private paradise.

Then something brilliant happened. 

In the aftermath of another battle with the Galra, while on a newly freed planet for peace talks, Pidge and Allura snuck away from their quarters while everyone else rested. Their mission? Visit the local market shops and bring a select few plants back to the ship’s conservatory. The planet of Elucia was far more tropical than the Olkarion homeworld and the local fauna in the shops were bright and whimsical. The two girls could hardly contain themselves as the scuttled around the market, learning all they could about the plants for the biodome.

That was the beginning of a grand new tradition. Every time team Voltron touched down on a new planet, Pidge and Allura would retrieve at least one plant specimen to add to their growing garden. The result was a thriving conservatory, swimming in plant life from all across the universe. 

It was beautiful, both aesthetically and on an emotional level. It was a physical manifestation of their rather lofty and abstract goal: free the known universe from Zarkon’s grasp and defend its peace. Here in this biodome, one could watch as life from these once captive planets bloomed freely and beautifully in harmony with one another.

Allura sat in the Olkari wildflower room and contemplated these things, sipping on some tea. She’d made it a new habit to come and destress in the different biodome rooms. Drinking tea with her father’s AI was something she used to do, finding some sense of belonging among the virtual juniberry fields. The Olkari flower fields weren’t quite the same; nothing would ever be quite the same. But Allura was learning to make peace with that, slowly but surely.

“Thought I might find you here princess.” A familiar voice interrupted her thoughts and Allura smiled into her teacup.

“You know me too well now, Pidge.” She commented as the smaller girl sat next to her, hands concealed behind her back. Allura shifted a bit to see what she was holding and smirked playfully when Pidge dodged her peeping. “What have you got there?”

“A surprise. First, I wanna ask you something.” She shuffled a bit so her back was completely turned away from Allura. 

“Of course, go ahead.” Allura nodded, offering an extra tea cup to Pidge.

“Do you think it’s time to show everyone else this place?” She asked quietly, reaching for the cup with a grateful smile.

“What do you think?” 

Pidge let her hand rest over Allura’s fingers still on the cup, the warmth of her skin all too familiar by now. 

“I’m not sure. On one hand, I kinda like this being our thing, y’know? It’s really nice, having a place to ourselves. I like it a lot.” Pidge smiled bashfully and finally moved her hand, pulling the tea cup towards her. 

“As do I.” Allura agree softly.

“But also, _because_ it’s our thing, because we worked so hard… I kinda want everyone else to know. I want them to see what we made. Together.” Pidge’s cheeks gained a nice dusting of pink, bringing out the light freckles on her skin.

Allura bit back a smile and hummed. “Well, you’ve convinced me. I believe it’s time to show our teammates. But Pidge, just because we’ve let them in and let them see, that doesn’t mean this ceases to be _ours_.”

“Thanks Allura.” 

The tension that Pidge had been holding in her posture bled out at that, and they continued to sit in a comfortable silence. It was only after Pidge finished her cup of tea that she seemed to remember the surprise still hidden at her back. She startled a bit, reaching behind her to locate the object, before smiling shyly. Allura regarded her curiously, a delicate eyebrow quirked as she waited.

“Can you close your eyes for me?”

“Well, _just_ for you, I’ll do it.” Allura winked and watched a bright flush overtake Pidge’s face before closing her eyes tightly.

Allura heard some rustling as Pidge moved around and then felt the warmth as the girl leaned in close. Her breath caught in her throat as hands lightly touched her hair. Then she felt a light weight rest on the crown of her head, Pidge still leaned in close as she adjusted… whatever it was in her hair. After a drawn out moment, Pidge leaned back once more, but she had scooted close enough that their knees still knocked together where they sat.

“Alright, open your eyes.” She whispered and Allura blinked slowly.

Pidge was holding up a hand mirror and Allura’s eyes widened as she stared at her own reflection. There atop her head sat a flower crown. A flower crown of _juniberry blossoms_. The shock and question must’ve been clear on her face because Pidge cleared her throat and rushed to explain herself.

“A couple weeks ago I found a compartment in one of the storage rooms while looking for gardening supplies, and there were a few bags of Altean seeds. I translated the labels and recognized the juniberry as that one flower you really seemed to like. So I kinda grew them in secret, on my own, because I wanted to see if I could grow something myself, but also because I wanted to surprise you.”

“I… thank you Pidge. They’re exquisite.” 

Allura reached up to gingerly touch the delicate petal blossoms. Oh, they were just as soft as she remembered them to be. She was working hard to fight back tears when Pidge spoke up again.

“There’s a whole room of them. It’s on the third level of the dome. I kept the room cloaked until now, for the surprise. But we can go there now. If you want.”

“I think I’d like that. I’d like that very much.”

This time it was Pidge that reached out, and Allura didn’t hesitate to take her hand. She let herself get pulled up and led to the juniberry room, the tiny paladin’s hand a warm comfort in her own. They paused in front of a seemingly empty space until Pidge reached forward and deactivated the cloaking device. They crossed the threshold as the cloak fell away and Allura froze. The sight before her brought a fresh wave of tears to her eyes.

Pidge seemed to hesitate, hand twitching as if thinking about letting go. Allura moved faster, lacing her fingers with the small paladin and holding tight as she walked forward into the field of juniberry blossoms. Their sweet fragrance washed over her and she couldn’t hold back a rush of emotion. She strolled to the middle of the field, dragging Pidge behind her, before sitting down heavily, tears staining her cheeks. 

Despite the water works, she was smiling brightly, letting out choked giggles that hiccuped into small cries. And Pidge sat with her the whole while, a few tears leaving her eyes as well. Once Allura felt a bit steadier she reached out her other hand, lacing her fingers with Pidge’s, staring into her warm brown eyes. She’d always loved the color of Pidge’s eyes, rich like the earth, the perfect place for things to grow and thrive and find a new home.

“Thank you Pidge. This is the second loveliest thing I’ve ever seen.”

“Only the second?” The girl scoffed, tugging against Allura’s hands playfully.

“Of course. Because I’m staring at _the_ loveliest thing this universe has to offer, right now.” Allura smiled brightly, not a hint of teasing this time because she truly meant it.

All the paladins had a special something to them, each stood out in their own way. And Pidge’s very heart was born out of kindness and resilience, of an inner-strength enduring enough to overcome the pain of loss. And Allura respected that; Allura very much loved that about the young earth girl. She loved it even more than bright flush overtaking her fair skin, contrasting nicely with her honey eyes and hair. Pidge, who’d given her all this, was definitely the most beautiful thing in this room.

Here, with her new paladins, she felt a new sense of belonging. Here, among the bushels of juniberries, Allura felt a peace she never thought she’d have again. Here, with Pidge, small hands tucked perfectly in her own, she felt content. Allura reflected on this and felt a sense of gladness, so grateful that Pidge had asked for her help all those months ago. She was glad that this girl was with her as they cleared the once beautiful Altean gardens of dust and decay, and made it ready to grow something new. Something bright and different and wholly their own.

Maybe it could never replace what Allura had lost, but it was a beautiful place to begin healing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> honestly i didnt know these two would be so cute together uh....ive got a new otp i guess lmao wow i love em. space gfs. 
> 
> hmu on tumblr @fratboyshiro!!  
> im accepting prompts also if u got any allura-centric ideas you'd like to see, leave a comment or send a message on tumblr
> 
> thanks for reading, bye!


	3. like the ocean swells (we inhale, exhale)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> prompt: _allura doesnt know what a spa is and lance is offended, lance then makes a makeshift spa_  
>  OR  
>  _how lance and allura became spa buddies_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> kinda deviated from original prompt bc in no universe can u convince me that allura DOESNT know what a SPA is....pls....
> 
> also im too tired to proofread so...excuse any typos, i'll fix it someday...

Sometimes the best of friendships could be found in the most unlikely of places. This was a lesson Allura would learn in the most intimate of ways. It all began after yet another hard won battle against the Galra; they had liberated a small star system and were spending time on each of the three habitable planets. After some deliberation, the group had split off into pairs as a way to save time, instead of hopping from planet to planet. Shiro and Keith had left together to stay on the desert planet of Xiantho, while Coran had taken Pidge and Hunk to the tech metropolis of Xikanthu. 

Somehow, Allura was left in charge of Lance on the ocean world of Xilintha.

If she thought the blue paladin was normally a handful, then she was wholly unprepared for his burst of energy upon landing on the new planet. Though she really should have figured; the blue paladin was meant to be the guardian spirit of water. So of course the water-covered planet of Xilintha would be akin to a paradise for Lance and his lion. Allura just really wished he could keep his enthusiasm a bit more _contained_ in front of the diplomats.

Thankfully their hosts seemed more amused than anything by the blue paladin’s excitement. After a light casual dinner, the two were shown to their respective quarters to rest before another round of tours tomorrow morning. Allura thought nothing of the fact that they were placed in adjacent rooms. That is, until she heard calls of her name not some twenty minutes later.

She wandered out onto the balcony and barely contained a groan when she saw how close it was to Lance’s. He was leaning over the railing, eyes darting between her and the glittering ocean below them. She couldn’t stay annoyed long. She doesn’t think she’d ever seen Lance display such unbridled _joy_. Sure, it was an annoyance earlier while she strived to be professional. But now it was endearing, if not a little exhausting.

“Princess, can we go swimming?”

“What?”

“I asked one of the servants about swimming, and there’s these ocean pools right below us that glow at night. Please please _please_ can we go swimming?” He was so excited, bouncing a bit on his feet, that she was almost tempted to agree.

“I won’t stop you from going Lance. But why do I need to go?” She asked instead, hoping to compromise.

“Uh, because it’s more fun with people? I mean, I’ll go alone if I have to but I’d kinda enjoy the company…”

She could see the energy physically fizzle out of him and scrambled to justify herself.

“I just don’t like the idea of getting my hair wet.”

“Your hair?” He asked with a curious frown.

“Yes, it’s hard to manage as is. Water makes it nearly impossible.” She shrugged, tugging at a chunk of it a bit self-consciously.

Lance gave her a strange look at that, something contemplative in those deep blue eyes. He leaned over the balcony railing a bit more, trying it seemed to get a better look at her hair. She might’ve been a bit offended if it weren’t for the genuinely curious look in his eyes, a spark of recognition lighting them up as he spoke again.

“Princess, can I touch your hair? Like, get a feel of the texture. I’m not trying to be weird or anything, I just think I can help.”

Any other time she probably would have told him to take a hike but something about the sincerity in his eyes made her reconsider.

“Alright…”

Lance jumped over the balcony and approached her with a shy grin, which she returned warily. She turned around so he could reach the back of her head, giving him free reign over the cascade of white curls that covered her back. He made a sound of pleasant surprise as he felt the strands.

“That’s interesting. It’s real similar to some hair types we have on earth, but I mean obviously different, you being an alien and all. Have you ever tried braiding it?” He asked chipperly as she turned around, letting the curls fall loose from his fingers.

“Sure, I braid it when I’m bored.” Allura answered with a raised brow.

“No I mean like… Do you have braided styles that protect your hair so you can swim and stuff?” Lance elaborated and she frowned in thought.

“Actually… some Alteans that were ambassadors to water worlds would sport intricate braids, now that I think about it. But Altea itself didn’t have large bodies of water, and we bathe with a slightly different substance… so I’ve never had reason to don one.”

Altea had a different kind of liquid that made up their rivers and lakes; water, of the hydrogen oxide variety, was scant on Altea. Lance hummed in thought, most likely recalling now that the shower systems on the ship produced a slightly modified liquid for bathing.

“Can I braid your hair?” Lance asked suddenly and Allura blinked.

She shot him a suspicious look and he rushed to explain himself.

“I have cousins back on earth with a very similar hair type. In the summers I always braid their hair so they can go swimming whenever they want without worrying about it frizzing. I have a feeling your hair works the same way.”

Allura couldn’t lie, she was a bit intrigued by this concept. When she was a child she remembered seeing the ambassadors with their delicately twisted locks and marveled at them. If Lance was offering a similar type of hairstyle, then who was she to pass up this golden opportunity? 

“I mean, we don’t have to if you don’t wanna, it’s totally cool. Just thought I’d offer in case you _did_ wanna go swimming but just said no cuz of your hair--”

“Alright.” She interrupted his ranting with a smile but he appeared not to have heard her.

“Because I get it, I can be kinda annoying, I get it if you just wanna tell me to get lost--”

“Lance.” She said again, more firmly this time, and he stuttered to a stop, “I said alright. Braid my hair.”

He smiled so bright he was practically glowing and Allura couldn’t help but laugh; his joy seemed to be contagious at this point. They made their way into her room, Lance setting about raiding the large vanity and bathroom area for beauty supplies. He chatters the whole time, explaining how the first thing he did upon being shown his room was dig through the beauty supplies. He eventually returned with an arm full of bottles and creams and who knows what else.

She eyed him warily as he went about opening each item and explaining what he thought they were for. The longer he talked and tested the creams and oils on the tips of her hair, the more she became convinced that Lance actually knew what he was doing. Once he determined which products were best, he had Allura sit on a small settee so he could reach her head better. He gently moved her head this way and that way, humming to himself as he set about brushing out her current style. 

“Normally, I’d totally take this opportunity to flex my mad braiding skills, but for the sake of time I’ll stick to something simple.” He explained, starting to section off pieces of her hair.

“Oh? How long does this usually take?” She wondered, feeling the tip of his comb carve out some interesting parts.

“With your amount of hair? The styles I like would take upwards of eight hours.”

Allura looked up and over her shoulder, scandalized by the obscene amount of time, and Lance laughed before turning her head back around.

“I can’t imagine you would sit still for that long.” She mused as he continued his work.

He hummed a bit before replying, and she could hear a smile in his voice. “Braiding actually keeps me pretty focused. One of the few things that does. I’ve kinda missed it…”

“Well, if you do a nice enough job, I may let you try again someday.” Allura added quickly, noticing the sad edge in that last comment.

“You got it, Princess.”

Lance finished parting her hair into several sections and tied them off before retrieving one of the creams. He took the time to explain the process as he went, throwing around some beautician jargon that Allura couldn’t decipher, but appreciated regardless. Soon enough he began the actual braiding, claiming that the style he was attempting was called“Ghana braids” and should only take a couple hours at most. 

At first, Allura was skeptical about the lengthy time claim; but as Lance meticulously braided her hair she soon came to accept her fate. This would most definitely take a while at the rate he was going. But, surprisingly, she didn’t grow bored of the experience. Lance filled at least an entire hour with talks about his home. He told story after story about his home island of Cuba, about how he first started braiding hair, about why he loved doing it so much. It wasn’t so much that he liked the actual braiding, but he loved the quality time it gave him with his cousins. It was… unexpectedly nice to hear him talk of home.

Halfway through the process, he managed to convince Allura to talk about herself more. She hesitated at first, not quite sure how much she was willing to share or how interested he’d be in it. As if sensing her hesitance, Lance asked about what kind of hairstyles the Altean ambassadors used to have. She smiled in quiet thanks and began to talk about the few diplomats she’d seen with braided styles. Not all Alteans had worn their hair the same, since phenotypic diversity existed on her homeworld just as it did on Earth. 

Explanations about diplomatic customs led to stories about her time as a princess, which led to the sharing of memories from her childhood. She had been so caught up in reminiscing that she hadn’t even noticed the hours pass them by. Soon enough, Lance was tying off the final braid and massaging yet another fragrant oil into her scalp.

“Alright, done!” He announced with a clap, stepping back out of her space.

Allura reached up to touch her scalp curiously, running her fingers over the interesting feel of braids. Lance returned shortly with a hand mirror and she couldn’t help but gawk at her reflection. She stared at the braids that swirled across her scalp, mesmerized by the intricacy Lance managed to accomplish despite the short time frame. She lowered the mirror and stared up into waiting blue eyes, smiling brightly.

“Okay, we are _definitely_ doing this again someday. I want to see what you can accomplish with more than just two vargas of time.”

Lance returned her smile for a moment before an idea seemed to occur to him. He scurried over and knelt in front of her, eyes wide in pleading.

“Allura. Let’s have spa dates.”

“Spa dates?”

“I’m not even trying to flirt right now, I’m being 100% serious and honest, you’re the only person on team Voltron that I believe would appreciate my beauty routines.”

She considered him for a moment before a slow smile stretched her lips once more. Yes, that sounded like a _wonderful_ idea.

“It’s a date, Lance.”

“Yes!” He jumped up, victorious, and she giggled at his enthusiasm.

The pair peeked outside onto the balcony and noted with glee that the sun had set. Looking down, they could see the ocean pools below beginning to glow with bioluminescence. They went back to their respective rooms and changed into the swimwear their gracious hosts had provided them earlier. They wandered the halls a bit until they found a servant to guide them down to the pools. 

Upon arrival, Lance seemed awestruck by the glowing water. Even Allura had to admit it was quite beautiful. He rushed forward into the water, cheering about how pleasantly warm it was. Allura followed him slowly, wading into the shallows before hesitating. Lance floated back over to where she stood, peering up at her curiously.

“I never learned how to swim.” She admitted with a bashful grin.

“Allura, you’re about to find out just how great I am twice in one day.” Lance laughed, not at all disappointed by her inadequacy.

“Let me guess, after braiding the hair of all five of your cousins, you _also_ taught swimming lessons.” She drawled teasingly and he shot her a pair of his signature finger guns. 

“Bingo Princess. You’re in good hands.” Lance reached a hand up towards her, eyes expectant.

Allura took his hand without hesitation; for once, she didn’t doubt him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> real quick [this is totally the style ](https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/6b/88/5d/6b885dd85f8875381b231e5effc5d4ed.jpg) Lance gave Allura
> 
> (you can pry afro-cuban lance from my cold dead hands)
> 
> these are totally fun to write wow. welp there's a nice allura/lance piece (this is totally how i envision their friendship developing it's....cute)
> 
> next im gonna try and do a hunk/allura piece (since i kinda have been doing something with each paladin) and then ill go a general team voltron bonding piece probably
> 
> if you wanna send me a prompt for a one-shot, hmu on tumblr @fratboyshiro
> 
> thanks!


End file.
